Banjo lessons are going well.
Just a week until PMBAR, I hope Jeff is ready.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Quick update
I haven’t posted much lately. Just too much going on. CarolAnn and Brian Blair came into town last week for the Cohutta 100, they both did very well and seemed to have a good time. I took Brian down to Raccoon Mountain on Sunday. We missed a few of the better trails but I think he had had enough by then anyway (Having raced 100 miles the day before and all). Noah is doing well his personality is becoming more apparent every day.
Banjo lessons are going well.
Just a week until PMBAR, I hope Jeff is ready.
Banjo lessons are going well.
Just a week until PMBAR, I hope Jeff is ready.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Squeezing in the last of the Pisgah “Seasonals”
I had a great weekend in Pisgah trying to squeeze the last bit of life out of the seasonal trails this year. In Pisgah some of the trails are referred to as “seasonal” meaning that they are only open to bikes during the winter months (Oct. 15th – April 15th) when hiker traffic is low. It’s only a handful of trails but some of them are among the best trails in the forest and some of them help tie trails together to make loops that just aren’t achievable otherwise. Jeff, Thomas, Eric, Levi and I met up in Brevard on Saturday. On the way in Jeff and I spotted DJ’s car at a local bike shop so we stopped in and recruited him and his wife to join us for the day. We snagged the last roadside campsite along the river by the stables. This spot just happened to be on the opposite side of the river from the road and that made for allot of fun all weekend. Once we set up camp we made our way over to the hatchery and made a loop up the fire road down Long Branch and Cat Gap then we loaded up and went over to North Slope for a quick spin around. Not too much ridding Saturday and all at an easy pace in preparation for Sunday.
Sunday was what this trip was all about, I have had the route I’ve wanted to do for a while but have never had a group that was interested in the idea and everything come together to pull it off. It’s a shuttled point-to-point ride and goes a little like this…. Laurel Mountain -> Pilot Rock -> 476 -> The Pink Beds -> Club Gap -> Avery Creek -> Clawhammer -> Presley Cove -> Black Mountain. It’s not that long at about 25, and the climbs aren’t that horrid, but the descents are some of the finest around. To get Pilot, Avery, and Black Mountain all in one day is as much as any mountain biker could ask for. So we met another crew from Knoxville (Jay, Jen, Shawn, John, Chris, and John from the UK)at the bottom of Black mountain Sunday morning to consolidate gear into a few shuttle vehicles and head to the beginning. It’s about a 30 minute shuttle drive and I think a few folks where getting nervous about the whole idea. One of the Participant (John from the UK) had just moved to the US a few days before, wandered into Harpers Bike shop and bought a bike, this was his first ride in the States and his first ride on his new Heckler. I have to say that Britt ripped. The ride went off like clockwork, You would be hard pressed to get a better group together for such an unknown undertaking. We lost a couple of folks at the bottom of Avery but the majority pulled through. I think everyone agreed that this is one of the best routes they had ever done in Pisgah.
Unfortunately I didn’t get the camera out too much all weekend. Thomas has some nice pictures over at Harvest the Ride to check out though.
Sunday was what this trip was all about, I have had the route I’ve wanted to do for a while but have never had a group that was interested in the idea and everything come together to pull it off. It’s a shuttled point-to-point ride and goes a little like this…. Laurel Mountain -> Pilot Rock -> 476 -> The Pink Beds -> Club Gap -> Avery Creek -> Clawhammer -> Presley Cove -> Black Mountain. It’s not that long at about 25, and the climbs aren’t that horrid, but the descents are some of the finest around. To get Pilot, Avery, and Black Mountain all in one day is as much as any mountain biker could ask for. So we met another crew from Knoxville (Jay, Jen, Shawn, John, Chris, and John from the UK)at the bottom of Black mountain Sunday morning to consolidate gear into a few shuttle vehicles and head to the beginning. It’s about a 30 minute shuttle drive and I think a few folks where getting nervous about the whole idea. One of the Participant (John from the UK) had just moved to the US a few days before, wandered into Harpers Bike shop and bought a bike, this was his first ride in the States and his first ride on his new Heckler. I have to say that Britt ripped. The ride went off like clockwork, You would be hard pressed to get a better group together for such an unknown undertaking. We lost a couple of folks at the bottom of Avery but the majority pulled through. I think everyone agreed that this is one of the best routes they had ever done in Pisgah.
Unfortunately I didn’t get the camera out too much all weekend. Thomas has some nice pictures over at Harvest the Ride to check out though.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Still no dogs on the grill
Another Wednesday night at the ridge and still no sizzling meat in 08. Matt brought a grill this week and everything.
As usual we left the lot with a bunch of big wheel bikes with drive train deficiencies.
As usual we left the lot with a bunch of big wheel bikes with drive train deficiencies.
At some point the crowd dwindled.
We hit some rocky descents on the way out of the woods.
And then headed for hydration.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Dragon
Jeff and I hit the Parkway/Dragon/Parkway ride Sunday, at a hair over 65 miles, about a zillion feet of climbing, and one 22 mile stretch with over 634 curves of fun. This is one of my favorite road rides and I expect its one of Jeff’s favorites now too.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Weiner Re-route
With all the rain lately the “wiener ride” got moved over to a greenway ride this Wednesday. As any Weiner ride several groups went off and not all stayed together. We had a solid crew of two fixys, three single speeds, one cyclocrosser and one lime green “Cardio Hot Rod”. We did a little off-roading, 28c tires and a fixed drivtrain are not the tool for muddy trails.
Of course we had to stop in for some refreshments in town.
This rig was down at Market Square, words cannot describe my envy of this set-up.
Photo credit to Matt AKA “Go-Kart-Motzart
Its about time I get back to some bike commuting:
Of course we had to stop in for some refreshments in town.
This rig was down at Market Square, words cannot describe my envy of this set-up.
Photo credit to Matt AKA “Go-Kart-Motzart
Its about time I get back to some bike commuting:
Monday, March 31, 2008
March Ride Log
1st Greenway Family adventure 1:30
2nd Pisgah 4:30
3rd SK8 1:30
5th SK8 1:00
6th Fixy 2:00
9th Parsons/Rich Mountain 4:30
10th SK8 1:30
11th Sk8 1:00
11th Farragut Greenway with Noah 1:30
12th Haw Ridge 1:30
15th Road ride 1:30
16th Road ride 3:30
17th Sk8 :30
17th Neighborhood ride 1:00
18th Haw ridge Climb’0’rama 2:00
20th short fix :30
21st Fix in Miss. 2:30
22nd Fix in Miss. 3:00
24th Short fix :30
25th Haw ridge Climb’0’rama 2:00
26th Haw ridge Climb’0’rama 2:00
27th Racoon Mountain with Tara 3:00
30th Vanore road ride 4:30
31st SK8 :30
48.5 hours in March, not great but it’s all I got.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Easter Weekend and Beyond....
Tara, Noah, Levi and I went to visit my mom last weekend for Easter in Central Mississippi. It was a great trip although long car rides become a different sort of adventure with a one year old. Noah had a big time at my mom’s house. She had a little red wagon he could have pushed for 30 miles If we would have let him.
I took the fixy to Mississippi and went out for a couple of road rides. The only places I know to ride at my mom’s house are on the Natchez Trace and I have a little hand drawn map of a ride that goes on not far from her House called the "Pig Out in Pocahontas". The event starts/finishes art a BBQ joint in a wide spot of a country road town, called Pocahontas. The route is ~30 miles and it takes me 5 miles each way to get into the loop. On Friday I rode the loop nearly proper skipping a section of highway by riding the “Hilliest road in the county”. That netted me ~40 miles on Friday. Saturday I went out to do the same loop but I realized looking at my hand drawn mad I could link some roads together to do the “Hilliest road in the county” twice. I worked out taking a little longer than expected but I found my way ok. This did result in my longest fixed gear ride of my life at 50+ miles. It was very interesting to get really tired on a fixy. I ride that bike allot but never more than a couple of hours and never near the point of exhaustion. When I start getting tired on a coasting bike, I sit up allot coast downhill more often than killing it and generally chill out. The Fix just doesn’t allow that type of recovery. I wasn’t blown to pieces tired but the inability to rest for a second on the bike was mentally taxing situation I had never experienced before. My respect for fixed gear endurance folks took a step forward as did my own interest. I think I’ll be rolling fixed off-road again soon and I have a desire to try an easy event on the fixy weather it is a road metric or an off-road sub 40 miler.
I hit the Haw Ridge twice this week on the Turner focusing on climbing. Tuesday I crossed the ridgtop 6 times, Wednesday I crossed it 7 times. That type of riding at the ridge is something I started doing at the end of last summer, really focusing on the interior ups and downs and staying away from the shoreline puts a new twist on the trail system and makes it feel entirely different. I’m completely in love with the Turner now. It’s an outstanding climber, possibly the best all around climbing FS bike I have ridden, the rear tire is just glued to the grownd on the tech ups and with a flip of the Pro Peddle leaver you can stand and honk on it on smooth ups with no ill effects. On the downs and flowy areas it’s just a rock solid traction machine. I’ve owned beefier, longer travel bikes that were not as confidence inspiring.
Friday we were supposed to leave for Pisgah to camp a few days but Noah has been a little under the weather and looks like overnight rain so we opted to take advantage of daycare on our day off and go ride together, just Tara and I. It’s the fist time since Tara found out she was pregnant we have ridden in the woods together. She had never been to Raccoon Mountain before so we loaded up the singlespeeds and headed south:
I took the fixy to Mississippi and went out for a couple of road rides. The only places I know to ride at my mom’s house are on the Natchez Trace and I have a little hand drawn map of a ride that goes on not far from her House called the "Pig Out in Pocahontas". The event starts/finishes art a BBQ joint in a wide spot of a country road town, called Pocahontas. The route is ~30 miles and it takes me 5 miles each way to get into the loop. On Friday I rode the loop nearly proper skipping a section of highway by riding the “Hilliest road in the county”. That netted me ~40 miles on Friday. Saturday I went out to do the same loop but I realized looking at my hand drawn mad I could link some roads together to do the “Hilliest road in the county” twice. I worked out taking a little longer than expected but I found my way ok. This did result in my longest fixed gear ride of my life at 50+ miles. It was very interesting to get really tired on a fixy. I ride that bike allot but never more than a couple of hours and never near the point of exhaustion. When I start getting tired on a coasting bike, I sit up allot coast downhill more often than killing it and generally chill out. The Fix just doesn’t allow that type of recovery. I wasn’t blown to pieces tired but the inability to rest for a second on the bike was mentally taxing situation I had never experienced before. My respect for fixed gear endurance folks took a step forward as did my own interest. I think I’ll be rolling fixed off-road again soon and I have a desire to try an easy event on the fixy weather it is a road metric or an off-road sub 40 miler.
I hit the Haw Ridge twice this week on the Turner focusing on climbing. Tuesday I crossed the ridgtop 6 times, Wednesday I crossed it 7 times. That type of riding at the ridge is something I started doing at the end of last summer, really focusing on the interior ups and downs and staying away from the shoreline puts a new twist on the trail system and makes it feel entirely different. I’m completely in love with the Turner now. It’s an outstanding climber, possibly the best all around climbing FS bike I have ridden, the rear tire is just glued to the grownd on the tech ups and with a flip of the Pro Peddle leaver you can stand and honk on it on smooth ups with no ill effects. On the downs and flowy areas it’s just a rock solid traction machine. I’ve owned beefier, longer travel bikes that were not as confidence inspiring.
Friday we were supposed to leave for Pisgah to camp a few days but Noah has been a little under the weather and looks like overnight rain so we opted to take advantage of daycare on our day off and go ride together, just Tara and I. It’s the fist time since Tara found out she was pregnant we have ridden in the woods together. She had never been to Raccoon Mountain before so we loaded up the singlespeeds and headed south:
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Happy Birthday Noah
It’s hard to believe Noah is a year old already.
We had a birthday party for him Saturday night. It was tons of fun lots of friendsand a beautiful cake.
Its been the best year of Tara and my life.
I got out on a couple of road rides this weekend. Saturday Jeff, Thomas and I tried a Blount county loop but got rained out pretty early into the ride.
Sunday Jeff and I went out to try and complete the same route, the weather cooperated much better and we had a terrific ride.
We had a birthday party for him Saturday night. It was tons of fun lots of friendsand a beautiful cake.
Its been the best year of Tara and my life.
I got out on a couple of road rides this weekend. Saturday Jeff, Thomas and I tried a Blount county loop but got rained out pretty early into the ride.
Sunday Jeff and I went out to try and complete the same route, the weather cooperated much better and we had a terrific ride.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Weiner Ride is back in Effect
First weiner ride of the year last night, even though nobody broke out a grill we still did a little suffering on some bikes and a little hydration after in the parking lot.
Take note thats seven 29er singlespeeds and a token kiddy wheel squisher.
Had the Sheep out last night for the first time since it went all Catawampus on me. The bike is totally rebuilt. Every last bearing has been repacked, the frame was stripped and polished, New rims (Halo Freedom Discs) laced on my hubs, the fork was rebuilt by White and has a new crown, new lowers, new bushings and all new seals and oils, the frame has an all new drivetrain with new Middlburn cranks and an Uno ring. It probably has 30 hours of work on it since it was ridden last. With all that work I had 2 flats in the parking lot before I even got on the bike, and my ebb slipped (fresh lube does that) once during the ride causing me to push over the top of a short hill. I went to a slightly different gear ratio 32/21 from my previous 34/22 and I’m not sure I like it. It felt really spinney and I thought I was slow on the flats but I was able to climb most everything I tried which doesn’t always happen especially this early in the year. I’m giving this frame a good effort early this year, I have never really meshed with it and if things don’t change the Sheep may go to market.
Take note thats seven 29er singlespeeds and a token kiddy wheel squisher.
Had the Sheep out last night for the first time since it went all Catawampus on me. The bike is totally rebuilt. Every last bearing has been repacked, the frame was stripped and polished, New rims (Halo Freedom Discs) laced on my hubs, the fork was rebuilt by White and has a new crown, new lowers, new bushings and all new seals and oils, the frame has an all new drivetrain with new Middlburn cranks and an Uno ring. It probably has 30 hours of work on it since it was ridden last. With all that work I had 2 flats in the parking lot before I even got on the bike, and my ebb slipped (fresh lube does that) once during the ride causing me to push over the top of a short hill. I went to a slightly different gear ratio 32/21 from my previous 34/22 and I’m not sure I like it. It felt really spinney and I thought I was slow on the flats but I was able to climb most everything I tried which doesn’t always happen especially this early in the year. I’m giving this frame a good effort early this year, I have never really meshed with it and if things don’t change the Sheep may go to market.
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